Let's Find Out! Animal Life

Scientists believe that all forms of life developed from earlier types of living things through a process called evolution. In this intriguing and engaging narrative, readers learn that living organisms must adapt to survive as their surroundings change. By studying the developmental history of everything from single cell organisms to complex vertebrates, readers are presented with the evidence for evolution provided by the fossil record. Charles Darwin and the process of natural selection are discussed. In addition, the work of Gregor Mendel opens a window onto genetics and gets readers thinking about how genes work together to produce specific traits.

Readers will learn all about how different animal groups forage for food, creating various food chains that allow diverse creatures to thrive. From very good eyesight or hearing to sharp claws and steel-trap jaws, carnivores are made to hunt. Herbivores, meanwhile, have special teeth and even extra stomachs to help them feed on plant life. Each animal is built in a way that best helps it find and eat the food it needs to live.

This accessible, easy-to-follow book introduces readers to how and why animals behave in the mysterious ways they do. The straightforward text explains behaviors such as mating rituals and raising young, methods of hunting, which animals hibernate, which are nocturnal, and the social patterns of different species, among other things. The images are clear and perfectly illustrate the text, showing that animals and humans are not all that different. For the reader with a curiosity about nature, this book will be a welcome addition.

A V-shaped flock of geese flying overhead on a fall or winter's day is a familiar sight to most of us. But, as this vibrant volume shows, there are numerous other animals that also migrate for various lengths of time and for various reasons. Colorful photographs allow readers to follow birds, zebras, whales, turtles, and more as they migrate to find food, shelter, breeding grounds, or more suitable climates. Readers will learn how air, land, and water migration differ, what landmarks and senses animals rely on to get them from place to place, and why migration is essential for survival.

Introduce young readers to the myriad ways in which the assorted members of the animal kingdom communicate. The means of animal communication turn out to be as intriguing and varied as the content that is being communicated, from mating signals and announcements regarding location and food availability to warning alarms and simple tokens of affection and protectiveness. Echolocation, pheromones, bioluminescence, scent marking, tail wagging, nuzzling, the elephant's trumpet, the honeybee's waggle dance, and more all get their due in this brief, but surprisingly comprehensive, volume. Perfect for animal lovers and whisperers, while also a useful resource for life science units.

Using vivid, full-color photographs, this book shows how animals trick the eye by hiding in plain sight by changing their skin texture and color, covering themselves up, or even mimicking other plants and animals. Readers get a close look at sharks that hide using light and shadow, and even some fish that use light to trick their food into swimming nearby. The book is packed with information that will delight and inform young animal and nature lovers.